How to Make Peach Jam

Marie Overton
Jan 3, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Sep 20

Peaches are one of my family’s favorite fruits. Fortunately for us, peaches grow extremely well in our area and we are able to get our hands on them easily. The peaches here in our valley are wonderful and can be used to fill our pantry with lovely delights. I enjoy the sweetness of peaches and love using them to make great-tasting peach jam.

Preparation of Canning Equipment

Start by preparing your boiling water bath canner with enough water to cover 8 half-pint jars with 1-2 inches of water. Place the water bath canner on the stove on medium heat.

Now that your equipment is ready, it is time to start making jam.

Making the Peach Jam

Blanch and peel about 2 pounds of peaches.

Hands peeling a yellow peach over a metal bowl filled with peaches in water. Apron with "Marie" visible in a kitchen setting.

Place the peeled peaches in salt water (1/4c salt in 1 gallon of water) to keep from turning brown.

Hand with a ring slices a mango on a wooden cutting board. Glass bowl nearby. Granite countertop background.

Pit and chop 4 cups of peaches.

Chopped peaches in a stainless steel pot on a speckled countertop. Nearby, a small bowl of butter and a cup of liquid are visible.

Mix the peaches with 1/4 c lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon of ginger, and 2 tablespoons of pectin in a large pot. If you want to reduce foaming add 1/2 teaspoon of butter.

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil on medium-high heat. Stir regularly.

Sugar on top of an orange mixture in a pot on a stove. Silver handles are visible on both sides. Dark background.

Add 7 cups of sugar.

Return to a full boil for 1 minute.

Pot of orange jam with a wooden ladle pouring into small jars on a speckled countertop. Empty jars are arranged nearby.

Using a jar funnel, pour or ladle the jam into clean, hot, half-pint-sized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Place the lids and rings on and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner at sea level or adjust for your elevation.

Chalkboard sign with water bath instructions: altitudes and times. Surrounded by jars with metal lids. Light granite countertop background.

After processing, allow to cool in the water bath with the heat off and the lid removed for 5 minutes.

At the end of the cooling time, carefully remove the jars from the water bath and place them on a heat resistant surface about 1-2 inches apart. Allow them to cool completely for 24 hours.

Hands holding canning tongs, lifting a jar of jam from a mat on a kitchen counter. Person wears orange-patterned shirt and apron.

Check if they sealed properly. The center will be indented down if they are. If not, place any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use them right away.

Place the sealed jars in a cool, dry area and use them within the next 3 years. After that, the nutritional value begins to decrease.